The rapidly increasing establishment of web pages by businesses, organizations, and individuals has resulted in the widespread usage and accessibility of digital images on the Internet. Many web pages display digital images along with textual information. On many occasions surfers of these web pages desire to obtain a printed copy of one or more of these images.
The growth of digital photography also is contributing to the presence of large numbers of digital images on the Internet, as photographers increasingly store their photos on-line in photo storage sites such as Hewlett-Packard Co.'s “HP Photo” web site. Business associates, family, and friends of a photographer can view the digital photos and on many occasions desire to obtain printed copies.
Viewing and selecting images for printing is conventionally and easily done by connecting a computer to the Internet, viewing the desired web pages or photo storage sites using a web browser, and using the browser to select and print the images on a printer attached to the computer. Color inkjet printers, for example, can typically be purchased for a small fraction of the cost of a computer system.
However, some users may not need or want to own or operate a computer, but still would like to obtain digital images or photographs from the Internet. The user may not be able to afford a computer, may not feel technically proficient enough to operate it, or may generally have no need for it. Many of these users have found multifunction printers to be an attractive alternative to a computer system. Multifunction printers typically provide a fax machine, a scanner, and a copier. Certain multifunction printers also provide the ability to connect to the Internet, through either a dial-up Internet connection made over the same phone line used for the fax machine function, or via an accessory module connected to the printer. While it would be desirable to select and print digital images using only the printer, it is currently impractical to do so in an efficient manner without the interactive web page viewing and image selection typically done through a computer.
Some digital camera users may utilize a standalone printer solely for printing their digital photographs. Such printers typically provide for a connection to the digital camera, either via an electrical link or by providing a slot for a digital image memory card that can be removed from the camera and inserted in the printer. Certain of these printers may be similarly connected to the Internet.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved printer and printing method that allows digital images associated with Internet web pages to be previewed, selected, and printed without the need for attaching a computer to the printer.